In an information recording apparatus carrying out data recording or reproduction on a recording-type disk such as CD-RW disk, DVD+RW disk or such, in many cases, a cache memory temporarily storing data is provided inside of the apparatus so that an increase in processing speed is achieved.
For example, for continuous recording requests from a user, data is temporarily stored in the cache memory inside of the apparatus, recording in the disk is started when the data in the cache reaches a predetermined amount, and, when the data in the cache memory is not left, the recording processing is interrupted, and a waiting is made for when a predetermined amount of data is stored in the cache memory. Such processing is repeated.
Further, during data recording, a vacancy state in the cache memory is monitored, and, when the vacancy occurs, data from a user is received, and thus, an interruption of recording processing is prevented from occurring as much as possible.
Along with a spread of such information recording apparatuses, the processing function is demanded to be improved, and the data recording processing becomes complicated. For example, for the following cases of (1) through (4) below, high-speed processing may not be achieved easily even by a provision of a single cache memory, and a plurality of memories may be required for carrying out efficient data recording:
(1) for a case where data recording is carried out in units not larger than recording blocks;
(2) for a case where data recording is carried out with verification processing;
(3) for a case where a switching is carried out in units not larger than recording blocks; and
(4) for a case of carrying out a time shift reproduction.
For example, when recording processing such as those mentioned above, efficient recording processing may be carried out with a provision of a plurality of cache memories. However, production costs increase accordingly when the cache memories are thus increased.
It is also possible to provide a plurality of cache memories in a pseudo manner by using an existing cache memory in a manner of dividing.
Conventionally, an information recording apparatus exists for dividing a memory into a plurality of division areas and storing data, in which, a segment cache type memory is applied, the number of segments to divide or a particular division memory size is previously set from the entire cache memory capacity or the segment management memory capacity, and, further, management information managing data storage states of the particular division memories is stored in a segment managing memory (see Patent Document 1, for example). Patent Document 1: Japanese Laid-open Patent Application No. 10-63578.